LOVE INSPIRED

The knowledge, wisdom and understanding that we receive from God as we  grow spiritually is truly a wonderful benefit that we have been given as His beloved Children.   And without hesitation or reservation we can unashamedly declare that the timeless truths which are contained in His Holy Word are of much greater value than anything this world could ever offer.   “How much better is it to get wisdom than gold!   and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!”   (Proverbs 16: 16)     

Knowing this, it seems to me that we should be constantly making the effort to read our Bibles and meditate on God’s Word daily because we know what the power of His Word can do.   “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?   by taking heed thereto according to Thy Word.  With my whole heart have I sought Thee:   O let me not wander from Thy commandments.   Blessed art Thou, O LORD:  teach me Thy statutes.”   (Psalm 119: 9-12)    In support of this, 2 Timothy 2: 15-16  tells us to  “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.   But shun profane and vain babblings:   for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”

 

We are, however, acutely aware that reading God’s Word alone is not enough.   Having an educated understanding and an intellectual insight into the scriptures are in and of themselves insufficient when it actually comes to matters of eternal salvation.    God created us not just to be thinkers, theorists and philosophers of the Word, but we are instructed to be  “…doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:   For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.   But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”  (James 1: 22-25)   

  

And there is only one way to be endowed with the ability to allow the Word of God to work for you in the manner it was intended.    As stated in James 1: 21, it tells us that we must  “receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.”     This type of glorious “receiving”  is not some every day, ordinary, run-of-the mill receiving, but it is a humble, submissive, honest and sincere reception of God’s Spirit.   Or otherwise stated, you have to be changed.   And not just a change of mind, but a change of heart.    You see dear ones, a changed heart results in a changed life that comes with a clean conscience that has been purified through genuine repentance.   Jesus said,  “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation;  but is passed from death unto life. “   (John 5: 14)     

Another benefit that accompanies this great change is the blessed assurance that  “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren ….. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us:   and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”   (1 John 3: 14 & 16)   And without His precious Word we have no chance of access to God’s endless empire.   “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”   (Luke 18: 17)  

 

Now I know that we are all awed when we witness amazing sights or are enlightened by deep spiritual secrets, but I submit to you that the love-inspired possession of a meek and lowly heart is priceless.   Without it we are like a rudderless ship, a lost expedition or an empty bank account.   A God-filled heart is a heart full of genuinely true love and it does us no good if we do not have, or have abandoned the power of this love which only comes from above.   In fact, a price will have to be paid for neglecting or rejecting this incomparable gift.   “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”   (Revelation 2: 4)    

 

Again, this is no ordinary love, but is the same consecrated love that rescued us from destruction as described in  John 3: 16-17,  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.   For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world;  but that the world through Him might be saved" and Galatians 2: 20,  “I am crucified with Christ:   nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

 

As previously mentioned, the love we speak of is the love of God, or in other words, of God Himself because  “God is love.”   (1 John 4: 8)    It is imperative that we seek to know God, and not just to  know about  God.   John 21: 1-17 describes how after His resurrection, Jesus showed Himself to His disciples who were in a boat fishing. He invited them to come to shore to share a meal of fish and bread with Him saying, "Come and dine."

Although they had plenty of fish on their own that they had just caught, it was necessary for them to have the fish and bread Jesus was offering. Similar to how the Samaritan woman at the well found in John 4: 5-14 didn't need the water from the well but the "living water" only Jesus could give. After their meal, Jesus asked Peter did he love Him. Of course Peter said that he did, but Jesus wasn't talking about an ordinary love. And, just like the fish and bread, Peter had his own love but needed more. Jesus wasn't speaking of a romantic love, or a community love or a family love or a brotherly love. He had a mission from heaven for Peter and needed Him to get to the highest level of love. Agape love.

And we are no different. Our personal, intimate connection with God through Jesus is the fulfillment of what He has desired for us from the beginning of time.   For the love of God in us is manifested as follows:   “But whoso keepeth His Word, in Him verily is the love of God perfected:   hereby know we that we are in Him.”   (1 John 2: 5)     If you recall, when asked about which was the great commandment in the law, Jesus said,  “…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.   This is the first and great commandment.   And the second is like unto it,  Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.   On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”   (Matthew 22: 37-40) As per Romans 13: 10, "love is the fulfilling of the law."

 

2 Timothy 3: 15  tells us that the holy scriptures are able to  “make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”    This was articulated at last week’s worship service when Pastor Rick encouraged us with a beautiful benediction which said,  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:   That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”   (2 Timothy 3: 16-17)    And to that end I present to you  1 John 4: 7-19,  which is a treasure trove of excellent instructions and a divine description concerning the love of God:  

[7]  Beloved, let us love one another:  for love is of God;  and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

[8]  He that loveth not knoweth not God;  for God is love.

[9]  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

[10 ] Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins.

[11]  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

[12]  No man hath seen God at any time.   If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.

[13]  Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.

[14]   And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

[15]  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in Him, and He in God.

[16]  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love;  and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

[17]  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment:  because as He is, so are we in this world.

[18]  There is no fear in love;  but perfect love casteth out fear:  because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

[19]  We love Him, because He first loved us.

 

Glory to God!   Wasn’t that just simply spectacular!   Reminds me of an Andre Crouch song which says, “Jesus is the answer, for the world today, above Him there’s no other, Jesus is the way.   Hallelujah, Jesus is the answer, for the world today, above Him there’s no other, Jesus is the way!”   And that wonderful way of Jesus is to walk in the lane of love that He provided for us by willingly sacrificing His life for ours.   “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;   And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”   (Ephesians 5: 1-2)  

 

But we must keep an eye on ourselves, watching carefully so we don’t become a victim of what I call  “self-inflicted cardio cryogenics”, otherwise known as the calamitous and abhorrent condition of a suicidal cold heart!   We may try to overlook the onset, but this disease can’t be ignored as the evidence will be in plain sight for you and others to see with symptoms such as: agitation becoming your constant companion, impatience devouring more and more of your time, meekness and gentleness avoiding you like the plague, mood swings tossing you to and fro like a storm surge, harsh tones and hard looks others see as telltale signs of your unflattering trademarks, endless torment resulting from harboring grievances and failing to forgive others, habitual manifestations of disrespect with frequent mean-spirited outbursts as well as selfishness that misleads and mistreats you like a cruel king over an oppressed empire.  

 

But thank the Lord that if we stay firmly entrenched in the love of God through His Son Jesus Christ we will avoid the devastation of a love that has waxed cold.   And it’s not as difficult as what the enemy would want you to believe if you are dedicated and determined to hold on, making every effort to be a good ambassador for Christ.    Remember, the Lord will not send you anywhere you can’t go, assign you a task you can’t complete or place you in a battle you can’t win.   Jesus not only said  “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light”  (Matthew 11: 30),  but He inspired the Apostle John to write,  “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments:  and His commandments are not grievous.”   (1 John 5: 3)    Being a disobedient soul is grievous.  As  Psalm 13: 15  points out,  “…but the way of transgressors is hard.”     

 

And so, I will close with the oft-quoted 13th Chapter of 1st Corinthians, affectionately referred to as "The Love Chapter."    I ask that we all read these beloved words and compare ourselves to what it says:

[1]  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

[2]  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge;  and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.

[3]  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.

[4]  Love suffereth long, and is kind;  love envieth not;  love vaunteth not itself,   is not puffed up,

[5]  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

[6]  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

[7]  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

[8]  Love never faileth:  but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;   whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

[9]  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

[10]  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

[11]  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

[12]  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:  now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

[13]  And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three;  but the greatest of these is love.

 

As we look forward to celebrating the upcoming Resurrection Day, I pray that grace, mercy and peace be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.    All honor and praise be to our Messiah, Who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the kings of the earth.   And unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, be glory, dominion and power for ever and ever.    Amen.